HUNDREDS of bus stops across Dorset are going to get a facelift.

Dorset County Council is working with bus operators across the county to spruce up bus stops on its "core interurban routes".

The stops are being improved with new flags and timetable cases. Some will also be getting new shelters and raised kerbs using developer funding.

Over the next few months, all 3,748 bus stops will be assessed and catalogued through a new online tool which will also allow easier reporting from the public.

This will then enable priority for funding to the bus stops in the greatest need or that have the greatest potential for interchange points to link other forms of transport with bus travel. This could include adding cycle parking nearby.

The cost of the facelift is being funded by the county council as part of its Passenger Transport Strategy, which aims to make interchange between different modes of transport easier.

Cllr Daryl Turner, the county council’s cabinet member for the natural and built environment, said: “Over the last few years the county’s bus stops have become a bit shabby. This tidy up will help people know where the bus stop is, where it’s going and at what time.”

Communities are also being encouraged to look after their bus stops and create a ‘friends’ group that can keep the area tidy.